I'll Dance With You
by Yautja's Blooded Pet
Summary: She fell in love with a stranger on the dance floor. Night after night, he found her in secret to wrap his arms around her. Night after night, she peered up into his dark hood and...got a little more irritated. How do you keep your identity secret in a club full of shinobi? It was time for some detective work!
1. I'll Dance With You

I'll Dance with you

Rating: M  
Inspiration: "I'll dance with you" DJ S3RL feat. JessKah  
Summary: She fell in love with a stranger on the dance floor. Night after night, he found her in secret to wrap his arms around her. Night after night, she peered up into his dark hood and...got a little more ticked off. How on earth can he still stay completely hidden after several months?! Time for desperate measures. KakaSaku/InoCho Rewritten

Thank you Elvira Rayne for your fantastic beta-ing skills.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copy-written material here, nor am I making any kind of profit save for a sated imagination.

Hey everyone. I've fixed it and added quite a bit. Time to see where this takes us~

* * *

.

I'll dance with you

Tonight

Under twinkling stars in the sky

.

I'll dance with you

Keep on

Moving till morning sunlight

.

Feel me tonight

Love me and hold me tight

Be always mine

.

* * *

Konoha's night-life scene was never built for the ninja. With the crowded streets and beckoning whores calling from the alleyways to coax people in behind the red line, the ninja populace scarcely made an appearance among the civilians attempting to enjoy their weekend. This was one of the many divisions of Konoha. Though a hidden village where institutions often intermingled, some things just remained separate. It was safer that way.

High in the eaves of Konoha, in the back of the business district lie one of the very few places of entertainment that Shinobi felt safe in. A tall structure of mangled steel, entirely without decoration, the military forces of the village flocked here in the night, attempting to wash away the scars left behind during their thrice-damned missions. In this place there was no bloodshed. No enemy nin. Here there were no lost lives whispering over the shoulders of those who lived on. Nor were there ranks, military etiquette, or boundaries. Everything and anything could exist here, if only for a moment. Every Shinobi could come here and forget who they were; if only for a night.

The pulsing beat drew customers of all ages on the floor, coming together into one massive crowd, rippling under strobe lights and fog machines.

There stood no bouncers at the entryway, no guards by the barman. There was no need for petty civilian precautions. The sheer number of Chunin, Jounin, Elite, and Anbu in the crowd served as immediate discouragement for any sort of foul play. This place catered exclusively to Shinobi.

It was nine at night, just after the late night shift change and flocks of ninja desperate to escape their hellish occupations crept up the side of the structure in strings. The bottom of the structure had no doors or accessible windows. It was merely a column of steel to dissuade the curious and foil the genin who should be back in bed at home. Every once in a while, a younger member of society found his or her way into the club. No one really worried about it. If the patrons were old enough to die and skilled enough to climb the walls, they were old enough to bypass age checks and enjoy the dance floor and somewhat limited bar. So long as the ninja could finish the chakra climb all the way to the top, they were welcome. It was here in this tower of refuge that many Shinobi found a moment of peace.

"The Club" was a place of forgetting, both to forget and to be forgotten. Things that happened inside never made it out. It was a place of secrets in a place where there were none; and for a single, blissful moment, the ninja could be as free as they desired. Whatever happened here, stayed here. This was an unspoken code. The dance floor became a place where true emotions and not so good ideas could spring forth without judgment. Sacred, in an almost twisted way.

Many ninja arrived masked, making sure that already fragile relationships with their co-workers weren't damaged any further. Some were braver, openly show-casing their identities. Others really had no choice in making their presence known. A vivid mane of pink was difficult to mask and not at all difficult to figure out. Naruto had it just as bad, but the poor boy just gave up and stuck to the rafters.

Haruno Sakura's partner was masked- as he was every night since they met several months ago. A dark hood from a constricting jacket hid his hair in the black light and a plain mask shielded what little she could see of his face. The hood never seemed to slip or shift and it was almost impossible to peer through the fabric to catch a glimpse or clue of who had his fingers running down her lower back. He was good. Too good. Her only current lead was his height.

Every night, that masked figure carefully concealed his chakra, and approached the young medic. Each night he pulled her close, her perfect partner on the floor, scaring away any would-be suitors approaching for a taste of Tsunade's apprentice.

Every time he found her, he greedily kept her all to himself and refused to share no matter who attempted to brush up on Sakura's other side. When she was tired, he somehow knew. He'd hold her hand softly and walk her toward the exit, taking slow and gentle steps as if they hadn't had enough time. He'd say goodbye with a masked kiss on the back of her hand and a gentle swipe of his thumb across her jawline. Then he was just...gone. Just like that. Lead number two, he was an elite. He had to be. Sakura was no slacker, but she couldn't trace his departure and for Konoha ninja, that was almost unheard of. Everyone left a trail. Everyone.

Sakura thought her partner's obsession was sweet, though frustrating when she failed night after night to find out who he was. It had been quite a long time since she was a hopeless little girl and she refused to cave in to a situation simply because it was difficult. Unspoken code aside, the medic had more than enough determination to find out the identity of her weekly companion.

* * *

Konoha was misty and cool mid-morning; quiet and blackened as the village fell into stillness. Figures slipped in and out of the dark, dancing in the shadows, becoming invisible for seconds at a time. Ninja who became ghosts in the night perched in odd places, standing guard as everyone slept. It wasn't unusual to see a stranger push off of the railing on one's balcony in the middle of the night, attempting to step up to the rooftops. That is where Ino found herself, flaring a match and bringing the flame toward her lips.

The blond breathed in, closing her eyes at the sting of the cigarette perched at the edge of her mouth. She never enjoyed smoking, but this was her sensei's brand. A sick little ritual to remember him by. She breathed deeply, pulling the smoke into her lungs. Thick, like foreign chakra, it coated her throat, tickling and stinging her entire body. It burned, and she fought to cough, but the same impulse that drove the girl into dieting, to achieve control over her body, kicked in to force her quivering muscles into compliance. Just for a few seconds. Just a brief moment of silence for the fallen. A tiny little moment to let the poison sink in.

Exhale. Ino finally gave into the sensation and coughed, grimacing as she wondered how much tar she'd be spitting out later. She felt a hand run up her spine consolingly and visible relaxed, the last of the choking subsided. Sakura didn't approve of smoking to remember her beloved teacher, but she definitely understood Ino's need to pay him homage. Once a week, Ino stood out in the dark and lit up, watching the near invisible smoke waft up into the trees, caressing the feet of the wandering ninja who made their rounds. It was such a little moment for herself in this world. Asuma was contemplative like that.

They didn't speak during this time. It was almost taboo to do so. They simply watched the stars and pretended not to notice the shadows moving about in the dark. The less you noticed, the less you compromised your comrades. It was that simple.

Ino seemed to savor the last breath, though she honestly never got used to the taste. Deciding that she had plenty for the night, she reached down and rubbed the butt against the same point of metal on her balcony, listening to the burning leave finish singing off whatever paint used to cover the surface. Old ash and residue flaked away at the fresh heat and the remainder of her remembrance was crushed in her hand. Sakura visibly relaxed, before smiling and turning to her friend.

"Ready?" Sakura whispered softly, glowing green fingers pressing up against Ino's back. The blonde nodded, bracing herself against the rail.

She could technically do this herself, but Sakura was much better and faster with it. Sakura bit her lip and the green glow stretched from the tips of her fingers to her palm, carefully flooding Ino's system. She focused on all the chemicals and tar, draining the extra nicotine out of Ino's system before it changed the chemical flow to her brain. She scraped away dead material and pulled it all together in a little ball. Bit by bit, material flaked out of her lungs and rose in Ino's throat. She absolutely hated this, but it was part of her weekly routine. She could damage herself all she liked, but she owed a healthy body to the village. She couldn't do that if her lungs were damaged and scarred.

Once the glow dissipated, Ino fled indoors to the bathroom to hack up the excess chemical and bits and pieces of ruined lung tissue. It wasn't much as she was definitely not a dedicated smoker, but it was still enough to warrant a slightly sore throat. Sakura had regrown the important bits, that which would have been impossible for a regular doctor to do. Benefits of being friends with a medical genius, Ino supposed.

The blond sighed, delicate ears catching the echoing sounds of Sakura in the kitchen. The smell of cream and chocolate started wafting through the apartment. Ino looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. In these weekly rituals, she really liked to pretend that Asuma was standing behind her in his ethereal form, proud of the woman she had become. He'd smile that knowing grin around his cigarette and pat her shoulder awkwardly. He never knew how to handle Ino's outbursts or to calm her temper. Would he approve of the occasional smoking? Probably not. But Asuma was rather sentimental for a ninja and would most likely appreciate the gesture. A splash of water on her face, and Ino found herself following the soft enticing smell of chocolate.

Flopping down on the sofa, Ino reached under the coffee table for a worn out, paint splattered shoe-box. It was time for part two of their weekly ritual. She turned to Sakura and reached inside, rummaging around blindly.

"Hmm...It seems our choices for this week are... Posh Pink, Yellow Haze, Electric Blue, and some kind of resin-y brown color that the label peeled off of." Sakura wrinkled her nose at her options.

"At moments like this, I wish we had a re-roll option." The pinkette sighed and plucked the blue out of Ino's hands. The aforementioned variety of pink was a shade that was absolutely nauseous.

"Why do we even have that?" Sakura asked, Ino picking up what she meant before the question was even out there.

"Grandma."

"Ah." Sakura started to customarily tap the vial of nail-polish in circles, remixing the concoction that could probably knock out any Inuzuka within three miles from the smell alone. Sakura was quite accustomed to smelling like alcohol, whether she was covered in her shishou's booze or antiseptic.

"Toes." The medic demanded, waiting for Ino to turn sideways on the couch and fork over her feet.

"And so it begins!" Ino announced dramatically, wrapping her arms behind her head and gazing at the hot chocolate sitting at the end of the coffee table. She'd go get it later. If she kicked for any reason carting her cup, she'd be dredging chocolate out the carpet and couch for weeks.

"Update me, forehead!" Ino barked out in command, commencing the conversation that would hopefully ease some of her best friend's anxiety.

"Jacket of target shows absolutely no sign of Aburame influence. They are ruled out. It is also way too tight so the Inuzuka wouldn't feel comfortable with it either. That and the Inuzuka forever smell like dog, and this guy doesn't have a smell at all. I've checked the local shops, so this clothing is either off the shelves or not from the village. Cannot identify any weaknesses from his apparel." Ino nodded, digesting the pieces of evidence with ease. Ninja were equal parts determined and paranoid, so when it came to scoping out potential mates, well... all was fair in love and war. Ino put on her best Sherlock face and waited patiently, filling out mental memos to return to later.

"And the uh...totally-happened-but-didn't-happen Rhodopsin injection? How did that do?" Ino spoke quietly, as if Tsunade-hime could hear her from the Hokage Tower. Sakura visibly pouted.

"It was a bust. Even with the enhanced night-vision, I couldn't see shit." Sakura sighed, looking quite put out at her evasive little puzzle. Ino propped herself up on her elbows, surprised and at a complete loss.

"Are you fucking serious?" The girl was wide-eyed and astonished. In the ninja world, there were very few secrets. While each ninja specialized in different parts of ninja life, every single ninja was expected to be able to gather information and find clues to pick out the identity of another. Without that single ability, the village wouldn't survive. To be able to keep such complete anonymity among your fellow nin was next to impossible.

"My eyes lit up and all I could see was the black covering the lower side of his mouth. I couldn't see his eyes or even the shape of his hair under that hood. If he even has hair. But the only bald ninja I've ever met so far is Ibiki, and this guy isn't broad enough in the chest to be him. Damn...if I could only use chakra in there..but the second I start molding or reach out, the entire club would attack me. They're not very forgiving of these accidents and somehow know whether or not you did it on purpose."

"Damn Forehead...this guy is..."

"Good? Damn good. Too good. Which is why I HAVE to know who he is. I mean...he's gotta be among the best and more than likely knows me. I...think." Sakura carefully finished a fourth toe, able to stay perfectly in line even with the stressing conversation taking place between her and the person she considered a close sister.

"Normally, I'd add creepy to that list, but I'm all out of creepy after watching the Anbu wander about outside. I'm no longer concerned in that department."

Sakura chuckled. It was creepy, for a civilian. For a ninja? This was normal. Sadly.

"He's making it really difficult. When we dancing yesterday, I could feel his breath on my neck, so the black mask has to be some kind of fabric or contain some kind of opening. That or the upper mask that I could have sworn he was wearing doesn't fully cover the chin to permit some kind of air flow. That or he's changing things up to fuck with me." Ino snorted and removed one of her feet from Sakura's lap, shifting to give her friend a better angle for her last little toe.

"Probably that. Well! With that, we can definitely eliminate anyone Tokubetsu Jounin and below. That puts his potential age around thirty. You sure about this, forehead?"

"Absolutely. I know what I want. Don't tell Naruto that though. He wouldn't exactly react in a mature way." Ino giggled.

"No wonder you're chasing a stranger in the dark. Your team puts down anyone's attempt to get near you before they even think about it."

Sakura smirked. "Like you're one to talk."

Ino winced, "About that..."

Sakura's eyes grew wide. "Are you serious? I thought you two worked it out?"

Ino shook her head and sat up, propping her toes on the coffee table. "Sadly...no. Our working it out was more like pretending it never happened. I don't...I don't know what to say to him. Or how. Or what...or...god. I'm so lost." Sakura capped the electric blue polish and leaned over to pull her friend in a hug, sighing into her ponytail.

"Did you try the I-didn't-mean-to-get-that-drunk angle? Or I'd-never-do-that-normally approach?" Ino wrinkled her nose and shook her head, reaching across Sakura's lap for her mug of semi-warm glorified chocolate milk.

"Both are a no-go. But at least I know how Choji feels. And how bad I hurt him when I almost ended up as a notch on Genma's bedpost. And how adults do not over-indulge when the only way out is a chakra hike down a ten-story building in heels." The blonde sighed and took a long swig of cocoa, returning the mystery polish selections to the box before offering it to Sakura.

"As if heels even matter to Kunoichi...pick your poison!" Her tone changed, attempting to drag the subject away from her current strained team relationships. Sakura looked up toward the ceiling and giggled.

"We need new polish. I can tell what some of these are by the shape. I'm trying to go for colors I haven't memorized." Ino smiled and shook her head.

"Alright! Lets see...Fruit Sangria, Racing Green, Damsel in a Dress, and Bordeaux... Damn. How boring. We definitely need new polish."

Ino tapped her finger to her chin.

"It would be something new to put you in the green, but then Lee would get ideas and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy so...lets put you in purple!" Ino quickly palmed the "Damsel in a Dress" and turned to figure out a seating position that wouldn't put her drying toes at risk.

"Back to the topic at hand! I wish I could be there, but as we both know- I can't. There has to be something we're missing. How tall is he again?" Ino furrowed her brows.

"Bout 180...ish. Can't be absolutely sure. We don't exactly have a medical exam out on the floor." Ino snickered at that.

"No. What you two do out there would have you banned from every clinic between here and the South gate." Sakura rolled her eyes and refused to blush about it. Girl has to get her fix somewhere. Taking a moment's rest to prop a painted foot over her knee to get it out of the way, a new idea slowly surfaced.

"What if...I could help solve both of our troubles in one move?" Ino looked up and frowned.

"I'd say that Shikamaru helped you cheat. And he didn't. In fact, he wouldn't touch this situation with a ten foot pole IF he weren't being too lazy to pick up the damn pole to begin with."

"Well..this is devious and you may not like it but...what if I talk to Choji and plead for him to come escort you to the club? I'll tell him about my stranger and how I need both of your eyes to help me figure out what I can't. No drinking. No worries. Just observation. A mission." Ino's brow furrowed, anxiety breaking in around the edges of her pretty mouth.

"I'm not sure that'll work. In fact, it might hurt him." Sakura made a twisted smile that somewhat channeled a little Uchiha. Or Anko. Both were exceptionally frightening in any case.

"I think I can convince him. But when the time comes, will you know what to say to him? I think I can give you a pretty big window here." Ino bit her lip and abandoned Sakura's pinky toe for a moment, not willing to mess up her friend's foot for the sake of complicated thoughts. Priorities, right?

"...okay..." She whispered, forcing herself to let go of her worries. "That is underhanded. Really fucking underhanded, but I'm sorta getting desperate. If you can convince him, I'll be there. But Sakura, I haven't been back there since that night, and I sure as hell wont drink anymore." Sakura pointedly looked down to her last, lonely little toe.

"Good. What do you say we finish up and then bake some cookies to help butter him up?" Ino grinned softly and dipped the brush back into the bottle of paint. Whatever happens, happens.

* * *

Choji groaned, unsure if he should have denied his friend's request. He loved Sakura like a sister and would do anything for her but this wasn't exactly the place he wanted to go.

Last time he was there, he pretty much confessed to Ino. Confessed. As in, declaring his affections. To a team-mate. And then got pissed at her, which Ino really doesn't appreciate to begin with. Damn it all.

It was hard to avoid a team-mate for a month. Really- it was.

Choji's poor heart thundered in his rotund chest. He wasn't as bad as Hinata, but he sure as hell wasn't as open as Naruto or as confident as Lee. He just couldn't handle what was sure to be an uncomfortable or even a guilty Ino. Seeing her miserable was almost as hard as rejection. It killed him inside.

"Please!" Sakura begged, tears in her antique jade eyes. Choji's heart dropped lower than his stomach. He couldn't handle a woman's crying face; he was simply too soft for that kind of foul-play. Where the hell was Shikamaru? The lazy boy was often Choji's only hope of rescue in situations like this.

"I can't see her like that again. I just can't…" If this kept up anymore, Choji might end up the one tearing up here. It was a huge relief that Sakura was so kind. The Akimichi knew that he could confide in the pinkette without worry. "I told her…and I can't face her right now…" His choice drifted into silence, leaning onto the table and running a hand through his long and spiky auburn hair.

Sakura fiddled with the napkin in front of her. This was bad. _Really_ bad! The pinkette could tell that this topic was almost taboo just from watching.

That and there was barbecue on the table that she already paid for and he wasn't eating it.

A sure sign of danger.

"You know…" Sakura's mellow and gentle tone knocked the man out of his panicked trance. "I had to beg her like this. She hasn't gone since that night either..." She stopped to let Choji soak up the information. Sakura learned this tactic by manipulating the boys. She had to ever since Sasuke finally came home.

She continued, staring out of the window, "She wont go if it isn't you. You are the only person in the world that she wants there with her, even if it is a mission to help me..." Sakura smiled softly, looking back to the boy. "Thanks for considering, at least. Maybe I can convince Karin to help me…if she is done blaming me for how Sasuke and Naruto turned out. Hinata and Shino aren't permitted anywhere near that district so I can't ask them to come along. This should be a fun challenge, right?" The pinkette stood to leave and Choji was bathed in a wave of guilt. Shit…Sakura was just too good at this.

"I'll go…" he said weakly, staring at the food he couldn't bring himself to eat.

"Don't you dare." Sakura snapped.

"Huh?" Choji looked up from the table, genuinely confused now. Wasn't she begging him to go earlier?

"Do not hurt yourself on my account. If you don't really feel that way about Ino, then don't go." BAM. K.O.! The victim on the floor? Choji's honest feelings and conscience. Sakura grimaced deep inside. She was so going to hell for this.

Choji stared at the direction of her retreating form long after she left the doorway. The boy was about to give up on his food when a familiar Nara stepped out from behind the Akimichi's booth.

"Where the hell were you?" Choji grumbled.

Shikamaru wasn't about to interrupt Sakura. Saving Choji from her would earn him a sparring match with Tsunade's apprentice the following day and the poor strategist was simply not built to go through walls. Or trees. Or boulders!

The Nara yawned, "You should go."

"What?" Choji blinked. His friend had his odd moments. He was never inconsiderate of how Choji felt and would never push him into anything that he didn't want to do. So why now? Why push him into this?

"Think about what she said for a minute. Ino won't go without you. She still wants to go…but she's wrecked because of what happened and she wants you there. She trusts you and maybe even cares about you. You two can't avoid each other forever. You haven't even gone back to Mei's Grocery to pick out your favorite crisps because you think she'll be there. Keeping this up is too troublesome."

A tiny, rumbling feeling lurched through the Akimichi's stomach. It sure as hell wasn't hunger.

Nara leaned over onto the table and nabbed a little bit of food, lazily propping his head up on his arm.

"You know…I've been there a few times with Tem. Too troublesome to dance…but she enjoys herself. I've seen the guy Sakura dances with…" His voice droned off into the silence, glancing at his best friend. Seeing that Choji was finally relaxed enough to pick up a kebab, the Nara continued.

"She might need a little help. Its an interesting puzzle, but not interesting enough to get me there. Though they tried. Gotta give the troublesome girls a little credit."

Choji sighed and wrote Sakura a note on a some-how not greasy napkin saying that he'd meet them at Ino's house to discuss the game plan. Shikamaru refused to participate or show up. Temari wasn't visiting so he wasn't budging. Typical. Choji wouldn't be surprised if Shikamaru already knew the identity of Sakura's sorta-stalker, but when Shikamaru doesn't willingly hand over information, there is a decent reason for it.

* * *

Ino hid her face as usual, behind a layer of skillfully applied make-up. Choji frowned when he saw her, liking it better bare. With a face so pretty, why cover it up? Choji's own insecurities reflected back on his own appearance with a little bit of anxiety. Did he have the right to stand beside her on the floor? She was beautiful but he was...

"Let's go!" Sakura interrupted his train of thought and finished zipping her jacket into place. It was getting a little cold for typical club-wear, but it would be a little hot inside.

The trio silently approached the building and applied chakra to the bottom of their feet, rooting themselves to the metal exoskeleton that housed their destination. Some ninja stopped somewhere midway and reached into a little cracked window, dropping a ryo into a bucket. Next window up, they'd pull a pair of soft earplugs out the other. They were Shinobi and couldn't risk their hearing even if the club wasn't quite as loud as others. Some more sensitive ninja, usually Inuzuka, took it a step further and rubbed a small balm at the tips of their noses. Sakura and the others didn't bother. The medic could usually heal any accrued damage.

When Sakura approached, the surrounding nin welcomed her with soft smiles and nods of acknowledgment. She smiled back at them. These ninja were her family in this great big village and she had probably healed most of them at some point or another. They waved her trio up through the line, Sakura blushing and thanking each of them that insisted that she pass through.

A neon greeting sign glowed as the star-lit sky faded into black-lit depths.

"Hey! They finally named the place!" Ino shouted, already deafened by the music. She was pointing to a stylized sign on the far wall.

_Pulse_

"Catchy." Sakura commented before wandering to her usual table. She breathed out anxiously, nervous about the plan. IF her stranger even shows up. Then again, he's always shown up. Which was odd. If he were such a good ninja, shouldn't he have missions?

Moment of truth. She smiled and looked appreciatively at Choji and Ino, who grinned feebly back. She turned, and gazed out into the writhing crowd.

* * *

A/N: Chapter one of the re-write is up! Definite improvement over the last time, though the flavors are all the same. A bit more spice and depth this time, I think. Let me know what you all think! Ja!


	2. Stranger in the Dark

Sakura pulled off her coat and draped it over her usual table. The thin straps of her civilian blouse fell and gave way to a creamy shoulder, temptation for her shadow's hands. Sakura pulled the fabric back into place and briefly closed her eyes. Like many others, the floor was a place where stress just melted away. The village could be under attack tomorrow and still many people would find their peace here. The medic inhaled the thick fog creeping through the room. This harmless, tasteless mist was intended to obscure vision and somewhat cool the heating bodies tightly woven together around the entire establishment. Sakura felt the vapor settle inside her, heavy and soothing, spurring her onward to the floor.

It was now or never. Slowly, as to not startle anyone, she took careful steps descending the stairs from the seating platform. She lifted her hands and drifted her fingers along the backs and shoulders of the people she passed, letting them know that she was safe and not trying to knock into them or wish them harm. Many familiar faces and masks smiled at her passing by, answering the light caress of her fingertips with a reassuring touch of their own. The crowd's caress was something soft, tender, and solely Konoha. Pair by pair, she was welcomed among the other patrons and was swallowed into the writhing mass of bodies.

Many took this rare second to approach her. A random nin reached forward and pressed his lips to Sakura's knuckles. Sakura gave him an apologetic smile and her pursuer grinned, shrugging before moving on. It was always worth a try. The pinkette glanced at every patron on the floor, looking for the familiar build and blackness that was her sweet stranger. Kunoichi and Shinobi danced around her, and finally the touches of her comrades ceased. Sakura tensed, pausing for a brief second, but that was all the time her stranger had needed to make his presence known.

Lightly gloved hands ran up Sakura's thighs, smoothing over her muscled stomach. He was always stealthy on the approach, and she has trouble sensing him until she could feel his strong body press into her back. One of his hands abandoned its purchase and reached up to trace her shoulder and neck, gently turning her head to peer up into that damned eternal black hood. His thumb smoothed over Sakura's jaw leaving goosebumps down her exposed throat and collar, slowly turning the girl to mush. The misbehaving strap of her blouse had long slid down during the walk into the crowd, and she watched breathless as the turn of his hood indicated that he was admiring the exposed line of skin. His fingertips traced the exposed line above her breasts toward her shoulder before dipping a fingertip below the material, slowly resting it into place. Sakura sighed and smiled, leaning her body heavily against his own and pressing her backside into his hips. She felt him jolt before pressing back, certain parts of him responding to the flesh of her rear. Sakura's giggle was lost in the heavy beat of the music, but she swore he could hear her when his head tilted as if saying, "Oh really?" Her stomach lurched, when her stranger's knuckles brushed by her breasts, smoothing down the front of her body to rest on her hips. He was being bold tonight and Sakura couldn't help herself to his unspoken challenge.

The pinkette turned on her heel in an instant, just a brief snap and turn that pushed her chest into his belly. He was so tall, but his arms were just long enough to brush her backside. He was such a cute little pervert and Sakura had welcome such advances from him as of a month ago. She reached behind her partner to run her hand up his thigh, shamelessly admiring the curve of his perfectly formed rear. He jumped and reached back to keep her hand from wandering anywhere more courageous. She pressed her face into his chest and snickered. Even after months of dancing together, her touch still lit him up though her victories were usually short-lived. Before the night was over, he'd leave her a panting, needy mess left alone in the night.

The crowd surged at her back at a change of tempo, closing in on the duo and that was all the motivation she needed to start a slow, sensuous grind into his body. Her partner leaned over her shorter form and slipped a knee between hers, shifting to meet her body in the dance. Ninja pressed into the their on all sides, but her stranger was focused solely on her, one of his hands lifting to hold the line of her cheek. Despite being interested in her body, he always admired her gaze. It was amazing how they could get dirty on the dance floor and he still left her feeling like a lady at the end of the night. A giddy, weightless sensation filled the girl and she lost herself in the beat. It was always safe here, dancing in his arms. He always kept her safe.

* * *

Ino and Choji settled against the far wall, waiting for the usual routine of the night. There is a brief break in between music styles so everyone could take a breather and refresh themselves. Hydration was an issue at this altitude and it wasn't very astonishing that this place didn't need to be heated during the winter. When Sakura was ready, Ino tapped the side of Choji's hand. It was just dark enough that they'd lose her if they weren't careful, pink hair or not. She turned to him to see the Akimichi stunned, wide eyes on the floor. Ino turned to see the cause and smirked. Sakura was a regular here and the crowd parted for their pink princess. Choji hadn't come enough to really know that this cluster of patrons were fairly static.

Ino's smirk dropped into a genuine smile as she watched her best friend gently drift into the sea of bodies. She was so gentle and confident, a far cry from the shy girl she had been years ago. Determination to aid the girl filled her breast, resting somewhere along her pride. She'd do her best not to fail Sakura.

Choji watched carefully before spotting a shadow that parted a couple behind their friend. He was barely noticeable and only spotted due to the vantage point of the seating platform. Whoever he was, he was good. Almost too good. When Sakura groped his rear, Choji turned Sharingan red, glancing at Ino from the corner of his eye. Ino's face was locked into an expression of surprise and she turned to her comrade to mouth, "damn" in his general direction. Seeing their friend being so forward was baffling.

Ino smiled and watched her best friend settle her body into her partner's, watching carefully to see if any hints about his person could be identified. They dipped into a slow grind and Ino grinned when Sakura borrowed one of her own signature moves, dropping away from his body before climbing back up to ride his thigh. She fanned herself for a moment, still surprised. They were hot out there! And Ino wasn't the only one to notice, as the crowd made sure to back away from them a bit then and give the pair some space. The stranger's movements were actually quite respectful and Ino sighed when he dipped in to bury his face in her best friend's hair. She turned towards Choji and lifted her shoulders, watching him tense. She'd have no choice but to go in and try to get closer.

* * *

When the beat paused and drifted into a brief quiet, several patrons retired to the tables, though more than half the crowd remained on the floor. A few heartbeats later, a faster pulse surged through the remaining crowd and Ino had a perfect opportunity to slip between the other dancers.

Choji's heart sank in his chest, watching Ino position herself while turning away potential partners and groups trying to welcome the girl into their folds. Every time his partner started to dance, someone else would slide in next to her and she had to turn them down before trying again. She seemed so uncomfortable that his heart ached. She glanced his way, a beam of reflected light showed just enough of her emotional turmoil to make his stomach wrench. Damning his soft emotions to the deepest pits of hell imaginable, Choji gathered his courage to push off of the wall. This broke mission peramters, but he had to rescue his partner. He couldn't leave Ino looking so upset out there.

Choji glared at a cocky chunin who wasn't taking Ino's "no" seriously. When he loomed over her back and focused his, "I will grind you into paste" glare at the boy, the unwanted contender paled and quickly made his exit. Ino turned to meet his gaze, her face breaking out into a relieved smile. Despite the mist that was intended to cool down the masses, Choji could feel both the heat of her gaze and the warmth of the surrounding bodies that were climbing higher into the music. Sweat started to form on Ino's brow, waterproof make-up withstanding the rigors of Pulse. She was beautiful, and Choji's hand found its way to the end of her long pony-tail without either of them noticing.

Choji swallowed hard when Ino turned to face him, leaning into his body. He had just intended to rescue to the girl but instead, she started to dance.

With him.

The poor man didn't know what to do.

He stood there, probably looking like a fool while Ino maneuvered herself beautifully around his body, her palms guiding his large hands to her tiny little waist. She slid, ducked, turned, and curved her way around his awkwardly still form, leaving Choji breathless with a deep blush across his swirled cheeks.

"Stay with me.." she mouthed, pleading with him. Choji ducked his head and a faint smile lined his mouth. He was all too large in this crowd, standing here unsure of what he should be doing and she didn't care. She just wanted to dance. With him.

Ino breathed a sigh of relief when Choji didn't leave and despite the lack of movement from her partner, she still enjoyed his presence. She forgot about the mission and just enjoyed her moment with the one man that she could give her heart to. The one boy that always stayed. The one that didn't mind her secret gluttony or, despite her best efforts in fashion and make-up, told her that she was beautiful on her way home from work while she was really a dirty, sweaty, stinking mess after a particularly hard shift. She wasn't a notch to Choji and so, she wanted to give him everything.

During a song change, a foreign arm rested beside her partner's, snapping Ino out of her reverie. Someone was trying to cut in. Ino turned and panicked.

Genma.

Ino snatched her arm away and jumped, temporarily forgetting that she didn't have that much space to move around in. She overstepped her usual cat-like balance and manage to plough into the person behind her.

Who happened to be Sakura.

Choji jumped forward, trying to save Ino from the fall. He snatched the girl up before she managed to hit the ground out of battle-honed reflexes and tugged her back to the safety of his chest. He glared at Genma from the corner of his eye and carefully held on to his emotions to keep the room from flooding with killing intent. In a room full of ninja, that was asking for blood.

Genma stared at the pair, fairly shocked. He raised his hands in the universal sign of surrender and backed off a ways, bowing in concession to the Akimichi that was clearly staking his claim on the young Yamanaka.

Ino looked up to see Choji gazing at her with an unfamiliar expression in his eyes. She smiled at him gently, thanking him for his rescue before looking behind her.

Sakura was alone and trembling, picking herself up off the floor.

Oh shit.

The Plan.

The one they just ruined.

* * *

Sakura paced along the floor, slowly indenting a path into Ino's living-room carpet. She had yet to speak a single word since they made a hasty exit from Pulse.

Ino had finally had enough. She felt guilty for what happened, naturally, but the girl needed to come to terms and open up about what happened. Ino stopped Sakura mid-pace and laid her hands firmly on Sakura's shoulders.

"Hey...I'm sorry we screwed up. You okay?" Ino spoke softly at her friend's trembling.

"I know who he is." Sakura breathed, eyes practically glazed over.

Ino blinked. That was unexpected.

"How?" Was the mission a success then?

"When you fell into me, you shoved me forward. I uh... hit my knees and nearly made facial contact with his...anyway." Sakura's face reddened and Ino's eyes widened. She tried not to laugh, really, but the incidental almost-crotch to face contact with too funny to resist. She started to shake with her contained laughter and bit her lips trying to contain herself. Sakura rolled her eyes and shook Ino's hands off of her shoulders, turning her body aside so she could pout with dignity.

"So yeah. I caught myself and figured it out. End of story. And now I need to know rather I want to pursue this or not."

Ino was still dumbfounded, "So who is he?" Sakura shook her head, before glancing over her shoulder at Choji, doing his best to ignore the pair of them and make himself known to a bag of vacuum fried veggie chip things.

"Okay..." Trying not to get frustrated with her best friend, Ino stepped on a high-heeled foot into her blossoming motherly instincts and approached the girl's problems from a different direction.

"Look...what matters more? His identity, or how he obviously worships the ground you walk on? He kept you close to him every night for months, carefully repressing everything about him. Is he close to you? Is that why he's working so hard to hide?"

Sakura nodded.

"Then is he worth it?"

Ino watched Sakura take several calculated breaths before her eyes lit up with a fierce determination. Green fire met Ino's baby blues and Sakura smiled as if the world had come together.

"Thanks pig. I love you... Gotta go!" She waved at Choji from his usual armchair and bolted out of the window, a funny trait that she had picked up from Naruto and Sasuke.

She would confront him tonight.

* * *

Choji sighed. What now? He reflected back to the newly titled "Pulse" and groaned internally. Now that Sakura was decidedly okay, he could focus on more frightening matters. Namely, the fact that he had staked his claim on Ino in front of Genma. And everyone else staring at their miniscule drama-fest. Shit. He didn't regret it. He could never regret the way Ino had focused entirely on him, desperately holding onto him as she danced. At the same time, only in his dreams had he ever thought she'd want to dance with him that way.

Ino retrieved the half-eaten bag of veggie-chips and tucked him into a cabinet that became Choji's unofficial snack drawer over the years of their team visits. She turned to walk back in his direction, flicking on the stereo as she passed. The Akimichi gulped and watched her slide the coffee-table into the couch with her foot.

"Well...I gotta go..." he started lamely, attempting to slide into a quick escape but Ino was on him before he finished getting up from the chair.

"No way, food boy..." Ino whispered, tugging her team-mate toward her. She wasn't letting him go tonight, not after what happened earlier. She smiled at him gently.

"I still feel like dancing," her smile widened and she threaded her delicate fingers behind his neck, admiring the sweet bronze and red hue glowing over his swirled cheeks. She didn't have enough time to register her own flushed face before she started to move.

"Do you know what you mean to me?" Ino murmered, sighing and resting her forehead into Choji's neck. He swallowed and didn't speak, not trusting his voice to not give out on him. She knew what he thought of her by now. She had to. Ino was many things, but dense was not one of them.

Ino kept swaying, trying to give Choji a moment to breathe. She wasn't going to let him run. She had him now, and she wanted to keep him. Permanently.

Raising her gaze, Ino looked the panicking male in the eye. She took a deep, shuddering breath as adrenaline and hope intermingled in her chest. Raising her hands, she cupped his beautifully blushing cheeks and ran her thumbs across his main-branch Akimichi coils.

"I want you," she boldly declared, "And no one but you." She met his gaze fearlessly.

Choji couldn't breathe. The intensity of her gaze and intent nearly crushed his fast-beating heart. He couldn't quite seem to register what she said but never-the-less, her words lingered there in front of him.

"I-ino..." he stuttered, "I don't think you're thinking clearly..." His voice trailed off and his mind dared not to flirt with hope but she stood there smiling so sweetly at him.

"I've been thinking clearly for three long months." She held his face and gazed into his eyes a moment longer. She had been so stupid when she was younger, unable to understand the boy right in front of her. She didn't, couldn't notice back then that Choji's heart was golden in both purity and intent, and his love was far more valued than anything that her imaginary Sasuke could have offered her.

Choji's heart thrummed in his throat and his brain went blank. What should he do now? Oh god! What was he supposed to say or do or... He took a moment to breathe, not breaking the gaze of his team-mate before him. What should he do? What would Shikamaru do? He gulped. He knew exactly what Shikamaru would do.

Choji ran his fingers through the baby-hair escaping from her pony-tail and started to massage the back of her neck as gently as he could, enjoying textures that would otherwise be denied to him. His other hand drifted to clasp her lower back, the smooth and taut skin teasing his sensitive fingertips. Ino wound her hands into his auburn mane, her heart threatening to escape from her chest.

Shikamaru would kiss the girl and so, Choji leaned in to do just that.

* * *

See you guys for chapter three! There will probably be some adult content. You've been warned. You know who the pairings are, which kind of ruins the surprise but still...wanna know how* she found out? Coming up in chapter three, the confrontation!


	3. Like Noone is Watching

PrincessBellezza and angelofdestiny16 were waiting on this chapter- and as such, it has been given. I lied earlier- there is adult content, but not the heat that there will be later on. The characters decided to wait. You know how it goes. I may own the boat and promise a journey, they're in charge of steering.

Chapter 3: Like Noone is Watching

* * *

Sakura left the Hokage's office feeling quite pleased with herself. It was good to know that she could still bully her boys needlessly when she wanted something slightly mean.

Hopefully her target was still up, though if he felt what happened at the club, he'd probably be in the process of finding a legal way to skip town. Naruto already swore to confine him to the village for the time being. He wasn't officially Hokage yet, but currently practicing with Sakura's shishou standing over his shoulder to keep him in line. She was a little too amused by her apprentice's situation, if the side splitting laughter that drove Tonton to seek out safe cover was any indication.

Sakura concealed her chakra three blocks out, the nearby Anbu on the rooftops perking up to watch her curiously. When she stepped up to her target's window, she turned to throw a cat masked operative a saucy wink. He was amused, as far she she could tell from the silent shaking of his shoulders, and he waved her on to continue whatever she was doing. The agents in the area didn't bother to stop her as she broke into their taichou's apartment. Would they get in trouble for that? It was a thought for later.

Sakura quickly disabled four traps and retied the tripwire she had to clip in order to get through the window. Time delay explosives were a total mood killer and blowing up her stranger's living room was not suitable recompense for leaving her high and dry for three months.

He probably knew she was here, he could probably smell her... or he would, if he weren't already in the shower. The tell-tale thunder that accompanies standard plumbing echoed down the hall, and Sakura straightened up in appreciation. A devious smirk spread across her features and she didn't bother with stealth as she made her way to her target's bedroom. She had planned on using Naruto's tags to lock the windows and door to keep him escaping, but this particular opportunity was too comical.

Quickly, Sakura locked the closet drawer, the dresser at the foot of the bed, and the laundry basket. Thinking for a moment, she unlocked one drawer, pulled out an article of clothing, and locked it again. People are creatures of habit, and this particular creature liked to be tidy. Not only that, he lived alone and thought little of trouncing across his apartment in the nude. It kept team seven from barging in on their sensei a few times in the past. Now it was just an opportunity too good to waste. Smirking to herself, Sakura flared her chakra and perched on the edge of the bed, just waiting for her jounin to make an appearance.

Five minutes later, a fully dressed scarecrow wandered into the room and made a bee-line to his dresser. Before he could get close enough to notice the bare edge of the tags keeping the drawers locked, Sakura tucked and expelled her chakra in rapid succession.

"Kai!" she declared, and the clone popped.

"Seriously?" Was the answering yell across the hall, sounds of rummaging around the bathroom echoing into the bedroom. Sakura giggled, placing her hands behind her head. A moment later, the real Kakashi ambled forth, water droplets falling from his scarred stomach onto the fluffy towel wrapped around his waist. A hand towel, kept secure by chakra and god know what else hid his face. He glared before glancing over to his closet door, noticing the tag keeping the doors sealed shut. A thrown look over his shoulder showed the laundry basket to be in a similar state.

"Maa...I never knew you preferred me naked, Sakura-chan. You should have told me a while ago and I could have obliged you." Kakashi's false eye-smile seemed awkward in the absence of Sakura's usual blush. This is how the jounin managed to get away with the bare minimum during a health exam. Thankfully, Sakura was starting to develop a tolerance to his teasing commentary. The pinkette in question reached underneath her to pull out a single article of clothing, one sleeveless shirt, with attached mask, so the pair could talk properly and she wouldn't get distracting by particularly enticing water droplets currently cascading down the taut musculature of the jounin's neck. A pity it all had to be covered up, but Sakura's immunity to the specimen that was Hatake only extended so far.

As Kakashi caught the shirt thrown across the room at him, Sakura rose from the bed, watching with interest as the hand towel dropped to the floor once the shirt was pulled over his head. Kakashi usually wore two masks to get rid of his facial profile. As he slid the single shirt into place, she could see the outline of his lips.

The pinkette ambled over to the foot of Hatake's bed, leaning against the foot board contemplatively.

"So..." Kakashi tried again, "what brings you to my bed tonight?"

Sakura couldn't help the slight pink tinge that dotted her cheeks, but she still would not be deterred. Kakashi was playing dumb. Either that, or he really didn't know why she was here. That would need to be remedied.

"You know," Sakura began, composing her thoughts and standing straight, "A medic converts his or her chakra to a neutral state before attempting any sort of healing technique to fix a major or minor injury."

Kakashi's eyebrow quirked and the jounin wondered why he was in this situation receiving a lecture.

She continued, making her way over to him step by step. "In each technique, that chakra stays in the wound, forming a crystalline pattern unique to that particular healer. You can tell who healed whom by that one pattern." Kakashi's eye widened and he backed up, immediately running into his dresser when Sakura made a last step forward, leaving barely a hair's breadth between them.

"When I was knocked over in the club, my chakra reached out." Kakashi's eye did not betray an expression, nor did his breath hitch or hold any fluctuation. To a non-ninja, that alone would be reason for doubt. Sakura, however, was a damn good kunoichi and knew how well he could hide his expressions. She reached out with her hand and boldly lifted the bottom of Kakashi's towel, pressing her hand against a new scar that nearly left the man cripple on their last mission together.

"I can always recognize my own handy-work and you're the only one that I've been healing lately. I could recognize the signature of this wound anywhere."

"Ah." Kakashi tilted his head to the side, relaxing against the dresser that dug into his lower back. He was caught, and during those three long months, he still hadn't found a suitable escape plan for his new found hobby. Part of him was hoping to get caught sooner or later, so long as getting caught didn't mean rejection or getting in trouble for violating rule 35, which clearly stated that you weren't supposed to get involved with your teammates. The number one broken and ignored rule in the rule-book. You couldn't expect three to four people to live and nearly die together without some form of attachment, it was impossible. "Sakura, what happens in Pulse..." Kakashi started weakly.

"Doesn't always stay there, despite the taboo," Sakura interrupted. "You used to scare my dates away. Hell, you still do, and now I can't and don't want to dance with anyone but you. You're my partner. Not just on missions, and not just when we're with team seven."

"It was a dance, Sakura..." Kakashi crossed his muscled arms, and Sakura could feel stubbornness flaking off of him in waves. Why was he arguing with her?

"Bullshit." The pinkette declared, her hands snapping onto her hips while her inner Tsunade reared her head. Sakura relaxed, dropping her fists and she leaned up against his thighs, feeling his body respond to her touch and proximity. "You can't tell me that what we do out there is only dancing. Whats wrong with it?"

"I'm 14 years your senior, and your team captain on top of that. You should have left this on the floor."

Sakura quirked and eyebrow in amusement. "That is such a weak excuse that if I shared it with Anko, she'd die laughing. She would actually kill over from oxygen deprivation."

Kakashi's stubbornness seemed to bleed from him, and his eye drooped in exasperation. It was a fairly weak on-the-fly excuse, but he hadn't wanted to admit defeat so quickly. Now at the very least, he knew Sakura wasn't against the match-up.

"Why hide from me? Knowing that I enjoy dancing with you and everything that we feel...out there."

Hmm. The one question that he was hoping she wouldn't ask. Who and what are fine, but why? Why was often embarrassing. Kakashi leaned on the arm keeping his perch on the dresser, slumping forward. His hair was starting to dry and silver strands were starting to stand up on their ends. He felt so exposed, but then, she kept him in a towel probably to throw him off-balance. Smart girl.

"Its a stupid reason, isn't it?" She grinned, anticipation and her own sense of humor threatening to make her laugh.

Kakashi sighed and his hand rose to the back of his head, a nervous tick.

Sakura chuckled then, feeling pity for the poor man. She leaned against his offered shoulder and wrapped her arms around his thin waist "I can't promise you that I wont laugh, my military bearing isn't all that great but I can promise you that I wont judge you or spread it around." She smiled into his neck and inhaled the spicy-clean fragrance from his shower.

Kakashi leaned his cheek atop his partner's head and admitted, "At first, it was just supposed to be a dance. Just one. Just to get...this...out of my system but I kept going back. I didn't want anyone else putting their hands on you."

Sakura melted a little. She had fantasies of what this moment was supposed to be like when she was a child and honestly, they were just that. Childish. What she was feeling now was the farthest thing from childish. "Why hide it? Stake your claim and it would have been easier than all of the shadow work." She mumbled into his neck. "You're teaching me that by the way," she added a second after.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and draped an arm around his pinkette's shoulder, preparing himself for the worst. "I didn't want the other jounin to know it was me."

"...Why?"

"I don't dance."

Sakura burst into laughter, wheezing and sputtering into Kakashi's shirt.

"Sakura..." Kakashi whined, his open eye watering for dramatic effect.

I'm sorry! I'm sorry. Just...give me a minute. I have to wrap my brain around the great perverted copy-nin being dance shy." Sakura had to do just a bit more than that. She was expecting some difficult-to-overcome reason for why they wouldn't be able to make it as a couple off of the floor, and what she really found was semi-juvenile insecurity and a little healthy bit of modesty. She was okay with this. She could work with this.

"You promised me you wouldn't judge..." Kakashi held her tighter so she couldn't look up- and see his pout. He really needed his outer shirt.

"I'm not judging! Much. But maybe it would help if you explained why dancing is so bad for them to know?" Sakura answered back curiously once she had control of her breathing again.

Kakashi adjusted his grip, twisting slightly to pop his spine from the lack of back support. Sakura pitied him and ran her talented hands along his spine, soothing his trapezius into pain-free compliance. The man in question sighed happily, smoothing his own arm down Sakura's back in thanks. "I'll dance if its for a mission. I'll do whatever I have to do for a mission. But here? At home? What I do is no-one's business. Or who I dance with. Or who I may or may not have taken home that night. Even though what happens there is supposed to stay there, it never works out that way. You know that. You're here after all."

Sakura felt a little bad. Kakashi was, in fact, an exceedingly private individual. He didn't like being the brunt of gossip and he didn't care for the endless cycle of one jounin trying to one-up another, not to say that he didn't play that particular game very well. He was too good at it, simply because he kept his private life to himself.

"I don't blame you," Sakura finished her back rub and held the back of his wonderfully strong shoulders. "No more hiding form me, okay? No matter how much older you are, no matter the shitstorm that may or may not follow. No hiding." That said, Sakura regretfully let him go and stepped away from their hold. She reached up to cup his face, hopefully to help her drive the most important part home. "I want this. I'm not going to let you run away. I'm not very good at relationships and I know you aren't particularly talented with them either..so we'll have to be careful not hurt each other or fuck up our teamwork. So don't run from me, okay?"

Kakashi smiled, opening his sharingan eye and met Sakura's gaze. This is what he'd hoped for, once he took the time to figure out how he was going to get from masked dance partner to 'Hey! I hope you're not disappointed that its just me, your dirty old sensei.' Sakura smiled and pulled his masked face down to meet hers. They kissed through the cotton, once, twice, and on the third meeting of lip and cloth, Sakura reached out with her teeth to nibble on his lower lip. The contact with delicious, even with the fabric hiding the taste of his skin from her. Something about keeping him masked appealed to her as well. Granted, she wanted the luxury of kissing him sans mask, but for now, she was more than happy with keeping him comfortable.

Kakashi's arms reached down to gather beneath her rear, hoisting her up a few inches to meet the curve of his body. He veered his face down the side of her pale neck, nibbling down to her collar and enjoying the sigh that she spilled into the sudden silence. It was so unusual to be in this position with her and not have all sound drowned out by thundering bass. Kakashi relished the sounds of her heavy breathing and the noises she made placing kisses along his covered ear. He flexed his fingers dripping her rear and she shuddered, breathing a heavy sigh straight into his ear. Kakashi nearly panted, arousal making itself obvious and his towel started to slip.

Sakura rolled her stomach and hips into his own, as if they could still hear the thrumming beat they left behind hours prior. Kakashi hissed at the groin contact, one particular organ letting him know that it was fully awake and ready to answer summons. Knowing that it would be foolish to jump into anything, the jounin eased Sakura back to solid footing on the floor, appreciating her backside for one last moment. One of those hands left his enticing handhold to snap up and hold her chin, just as Sakura froze into stillness. A sexy, amused smile showed not only through his eyes, but in the silhouette of his lips through his mask. It was a crooked smirk and the implications left Sakura with weak knees.

"Maa...Sakura..." Kakashi's eye plus sharingan both managed to gleam in mischief before closing in a quasi-innocent smile. "No peeking now...I have to retrieve my towel..."

Sakura's heartbeat thundered as she stared at the ceiling. The unmistakeable feeling of fabric brushing down her shins made her freeze earlier and she almost snapped down to see what happened out of reflex, had her partner not restricted her facial movement. She stepped backwards as Kakashi slowly crouched, his silver hair dropping out of her sight. Temptation to follow his disappearing head with her eyes was overwhelming and it took several deep breaths to keep her blushing face to focus on the cheap popcorn sprayed ceiling tiles. She felt his fingers smooth over her calves and moist heat rushed to her core when she could feel the brush of his masked lips just on the inside of her knee. He bit her there, gently, modest in his location but molten in his intent. Sakura could feel warm moisture as he laved attention there, crouched down before her. She panted for a moment, as the heat flooding her core spiced the air. She knew he could smell her, and her face ached from reddening so quickly.

Kakashi inhaled, pleased with the effects of his attention and slowly straightened, pressing his retrieved towel against the front of his body, ensuring that his erection was well covered. Sakura let her eyes roam then, down the line of his exposed hips, her breathing slightly out of control. Loudly, the pinkette exhaled and closed her eyes, trying to make her stuttering brain behave. The thought of dragging him to the bed behind her was clearly present, but she had some morality left and did her best to behave.

"May I have my pants now, Sakura-chan?" Hatake said slowly and deliberately, his voice full of undisguised heat.

Sakura shivered. The fact that he asked so politely only fueled something in her that she couldn't quite explain. The girl ordered her body into stillness, ignoring the state of arousal they had managed to work up to. She turned away from her partner long enough to retract her chakra from the tags sealing both the closet and laundry basket. She made eye contact with her soon-to-be lover and he froze in her gaze, not moving an inch when she wandered back over. Maintaining that contact and feeling a pure adrenaline rush at the power she held over him in this moment, she slowly knelt down to remove the tags from the bottom two drawers.

Kakashi nearly groaned seeing Sakura on her knees, between his own. The man held on tight to his breathing and his towel, not yet willing let her know how much that simple gesture affected him. Despite his brain's wishes, however, his towel perked up a bit higher and Sakura smirked with new found confidence. She'd be the death of him one day.

Drawer by drawer, Sakura slowly stood until everything was unlocked. Seeing the slightly dazed expression on her former-sensei's face, Sakura purposefully leaned into his body, rolling her hips and stomach into his interested towel and the knuckles holding the fabric in place.

Ignoring Kakashi's needy exhale, Sakura leaned up and kissed the side of his neck. "I'm picking you up tomorrow. Five. Be here," she ordered gently. She glanced back down to the nonexistent space between their bodies and pushed off the dresser to turn and walk out of the door. "Don't forget to reset the traps behind me..." And with that, she left, waving at the same curious Anbu who watched her enter earlier.

Kakashi sighed and looked down at his poor little towel. "Behave," He reprimanded, knowing the organ would do no such thing. Sighing again, he turned to find pajamas. He couldn't show up naked by his window to reset a couple of traps. God-forbid what the Anbu outside thought at this moment.

* * *

It seemed wrong to set this pair up without at least letting them get used to each other out in the open. That and I've decided that this Kakashi plays out a certain way in my head and they have to come together to realize that they are, in fact, fitting together nicely. Not everything requires discussion. Some people just...find themselves acting and responding in certain ways to someone else. Attraction isn't just a sudden realization, its a gradual change and then you realize that you're receptive to that person. Lets see how they work together when they go out purposefully and with intention. It'll be fun. ;)


End file.
